My name is Shannon Preto, and I’m the UCP YFM teacher and director, currently working as a pediatric occupational therapist with Emerge Pediatric Therapy in Carrboro, NC. I moved here from San Francisco in August 2023 after 21 years in the Bay Area, drawn by both personal transitions and the opportunity to build community near my best friend. Though adjusting to the new pace and climate took some time, I’ve come to enjoy the cultural, culinary, and natural offerings of the Triangle.
Before becoming an occupational therapist in 2017, I was a modern dancer, choreographer, and teacher, working with students from elementary through high school and earning my MFA in dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. My spiritual journey began in the Catholic Church in Cleveland, evolved through time spent in the Episcopal Church, and deepened with a Buddhist meditation practice during the pandemic. I’m inspired by the Unity Church’s affirmation of the Divine in all beings and believe that God is most present in our relationships with one another.
